JP2012221326A - Electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electronic apparatus capable of efficiently creating a snapshot image reflecting a setting change, and reducing a processing load.SOLUTION: An MFP1 includes: a creating part 22 which creates a snapshot image of a memory; a hard disk 19 which stores the created snapshot image; an activating part 21 which activates a system by using the stored snapshot image; and an operation part 17 which accepts a plurality of changes of setting. The creating part 22 creates a snapshot image including a plurality of image files which are respectively associated with a plurality of settings, and when the operation part 17 accepts a change of setting, creates a new image file reflecting the change of setting regarding an image file of the plurality of image files that is associated with the setting the change of which is accepted.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electronic device that is activated using a snapshot image.

  Conventionally, electronic devices such as personal computers that perform hibernation activation are known. The hibernation activation is a method in which the memory state is stored in advance in the hard disk as a snapshot image before the power is turned off, and the activation is performed using the stored snapshot image when the activation is performed. In general, using a snapshot image can be started faster than loading and starting a program stored in a ROM or a hard disk.

  Patent Document 1 below describes an information processing apparatus that creates a snapshot image of an operation system and activates the snapshot using the snapshot image. This information processing apparatus creates a modified snapshot image when the operation system is modified, and activates using the modified snapshot image when activated.

JP 2009-251673 A

  In the information processing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, a snapshot image is newly created when the system is changed. In general electronic devices, various settings are often changed instead of the system. For example, there is an electronic device that can set whether to automatically acquire an IP address. There are also electronic devices that can set the display language to Japanese or English.

  Depending on the processing capabilities of these electronic devices, other processing may be delayed due to the processing load of creating and storing snapshot images. On the other hand, in the newly created snapshot image, a portion not related to the setting change is newly created although there is no change.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides an electronic device capable of efficiently creating and storing a snapshot image reflecting a setting change and reducing a processing load. With the goal.

  The electronic device according to the present invention uses a creation unit that creates a snapshot image of a memory, a storage unit that stores a snapshot image created by the creation unit, and a snapshot image stored by the storage unit, It has a startup unit that starts the system and a reception unit that receives a plurality of setting changes, and the creation unit creates a snapshot image including a plurality of image files associated with each of the plurality of settings, and is set by the reception unit When the change is accepted, a new image file reflecting the change of the setting is created for the image file associated with the setting for which the change is accepted among the plurality of image files.

  According to the electronic device of the present invention, the activation process is performed using the stored snapshot image. The snapshot image includes a plurality of image files, and the plurality of image files are respectively associated with a plurality of settings. When the change of setting is accepted, an image file reflecting the change is newly created and stored for the image file associated with the setting for which the change is accepted among the plurality of image files. For this reason, it is possible not to create a new image file that is not associated with the changed setting. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently create and store a snapshot image reflecting the setting change. As a result, the processing load can be reduced.

  In the electronic device according to the present invention, the creation unit creates a snapshot image including an image file having mapping information between a virtual address and a physical address, and creates a new image file reflecting the change in setting. It is preferable to newly create an image file having mapping information changed in accordance with a change in setting.

  According to this configuration, when an image file is newly created, an image file including mapping information changed with a change in setting is newly created and stored. Therefore, at the next startup, the mapping information reflecting the change can be used.

  The electronic device according to the present invention includes a communication unit that performs communication using an IP address, and the setting associated with the image file is a setting as to whether or not to automatically acquire the IP address of the own device at startup. Preferably there is.

  According to this configuration, when the setting of whether or not to automatically acquire the IP address of the own device is changed, an image file associated with this setting is newly created and stored. Therefore, it is possible to store a snapshot image in which a change in setting is reflected without newly creating the entire snapshot image.

  The electronic apparatus according to the present invention preferably includes a display unit for displaying information, and the setting associated with the image file is a setting of a language to be displayed on the display unit.

  According to this configuration, when the setting of the language displayed on the display unit is changed, an image file associated with this setting is newly created and stored. Therefore, it is possible to store a snapshot image in which a change in setting is reflected without newly creating the entire snapshot image.

  An electronic apparatus according to the present invention includes an image processing unit that performs a plurality of types of image processing, functions as an image processing device, and the activation unit receives one set image processing among the plurality of types of image processing. It is preferable that the setting that is activated when the mode is started and associated with the image file is the setting of the reception mode that is activated when the mode is started.

  According to this configuration, a reception mode for accepting one set of image processing among a plurality of types of image processing is activated at the time of activation. When the setting of this reception mode is changed, an image file associated with this setting is newly created and stored. Therefore, it is possible to store a snapshot image in which a change in setting is reflected without newly creating the entire snapshot image.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to efficiently create and store a snapshot image reflecting a setting change. As a result, the processing load on the electronic device can be reduced.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an MFP according to an embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the structure of a snapshot image. It is a figure for demonstrating mapping information. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing processing by the MFP when a setting change is accepted.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 by taking an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral) 1 as an example. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the MFP 1.

  The MFP 1 is a multifunction machine that performs a plurality of image processing including printing, scanning, FAX (facsimile), and IFAX (Internet FAX). The MFP 1 is a network multifunction device that receives a job request transmitted from a personal computer (PC) 3 via a LAN (local area network) 90 and performs the above-described image processing.

  The MFP 1 can be activated using a snapshot image. For this reason, it can start up quickly compared with the normal starting which loads and starts the program memorize | stored in ROM or a hard disk. The snapshot image created by the MFP 1 includes a plurality of image files. The plurality of image files are respectively associated with a plurality of settings. When the setting is changed, the MFP 1 newly creates an image file reflecting the change for the image file associated with the setting.

  Next, components for causing the MFP 1 to perform the image processing and components for creating and starting the snapshot image will be described in order. The MFP 1 includes a printer 10, a scanner 11, a FAX control unit 12, an NCU (Network Control Unit) 13, a modem 14, an IFAX control unit 15, and a network I / F 16 in order to perform image processing.

  The printer 10 of this embodiment is a printer that performs printing by an electrophotographic method. The scanner 11 is constituted by a CCD or the like, and optically reads a document to generate image data. Further, the image data of the document read by the scanner 11 is printed by the printer 10, so that copying is performed. The NCU 13 is connected to the modem 14 and controls the connection between the modem 14 and the public telephone line (PSTN) 91. The FAX control unit 12 controls the NCU 13 and the modem 14 in an integrated manner, so that FAX transmission / reception is performed.

  The network I / F 16 transmits and receives packets using an IP address in the Internet protocol. The network I / F 16 functions as a communication unit described in the claims. The IFAX control unit 15 controls transmission / reception of IFAX performed via the network I / F 16. Specifically, the IFAX control unit 15 generates an e-mail attached with the image data, and transmits it via the network I / F 16. Thereby, IFAX transmission is performed. The IFAX is received by the IFAX control unit 15 acquiring image data from the received electronic mail.

  The printer 10 and the scanner 11 each function as an image processing unit described in the claims. The FAX control unit 12, the NCU 13, and the modem 14 function as an image processing unit that performs FAX. The IFAX control unit 15 and the network I / F 16 function as an image processing unit that performs IFAX.

  The MFP 1 also includes an operation unit 17 for receiving operations from the user and a display unit 18 for displaying various types of information. The operation unit 17 includes various keys, and receives an image processing instruction and various settings from the user. The operation unit 17 functions as a receiving unit described in the claims. The display unit 18 is configured by a liquid crystal display, for example, and displays information in Japanese or English depending on settings.

  The user can use the PC 3 on which the driver of the MFP 1 is installed to perform image processing instructions and various settings. In this case, the network I / F 16 receives an image processing instruction and various settings transmitted from the PC 3. For this reason, the network I / F 16 also functions as a reception unit described in the claims.

  Further, the MFP 1 includes a hard disk 19 and a control unit 20 for controlling the own machine in an integrated manner. The hard disk 19 is a storage device that stores a snapshot image. The hard disk 19 functions as a storage unit described in the claims. The control unit 20 physically includes a CPU, flash ROM, SDRAM, SRAM connected to a battery, and the like. The flash ROM stores a boot image, an operation system (OS), and an application. The SRAM connected to the battery stores speed dials, error information, various settings, and the like. The SDRAM is used as a main memory.

  Functionally, the control unit 20 includes an activation unit 21, a creation unit 22, and a determination unit 23. When the power is turned on, the activation unit 21 activates the system using the snapshot image. More specifically, when the power is turned on, the activation unit 21 reads a boot image (bootstrap) stored in the flash ROM. Then, the activation unit 21 loads the snapshot image stored in the hard disk 19 into the main storage memory. As a result, the system is activated using the snapshot image.

  Since the snapshot image has not been created at the first activation, the activation unit 21 performs normal activation. In normal activation, the OS and applications stored in the flash ROM are loaded into the main memory, and the OS and applications are activated. Thereafter, since the snapshot image is created by the creating unit 22, the boot unit 21 can boot using the snapshot image at the second and subsequent boots.

  The creation unit 22 creates a snapshot image of the main storage memory after the initial activation is completed. The configuration of the snapshot image will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of a snapshot image.

  A snapshot image is composed of a plurality of image files. In other words, the snapshot image is divided into a plurality of image files. Each of the plurality of image files is associated with a plurality of settings. The plurality of settings associated with the image file include, for example, an IP address acquisition setting, a display language setting, a reception mode setting at startup, and the like.

  The IP address acquisition setting is a setting as to whether or not to automatically acquire the IP address of the own device at the time of startup. The user can set whether to obtain a local IP address automatically from the network at startup or to use a fixed IP address. The setting of the display language is a setting of the language displayed on the display unit 18, and in this embodiment, either Japanese or English can be selected.

  The setting of the reception mode at startup will be described. The activation unit 21 activates a reception mode for accepting one set image process among a plurality of types of image processes at the time of activation. The MFP 1 has a FAX reception mode, a copy reception mode, and a scan reception mode. In the FAX reception mode, a FAX reception screen is displayed, and the user can input a FAX transmission instruction or the like. Similarly, in the copy acceptance mode and the scan acceptance mode, the respective acceptance screens are displayed, and the user can input an instruction. The user can set one of the three reception modes as the reception mode at the time of activation. The set reception mode is activated at the time of activation, and the reception screen is displayed on the display unit 18.

  In the example of FIG. 2, the settings 1 to 3 relating to the three activations are associated with the three image files 1 to 3, respectively. In the example of FIG. 2, one image file is associated with one setting, but a plurality of settings may be associated with one image file. A plurality of image files may be associated with one setting.

  The image file is composed of one or more processes stored in the main memory. In the example of FIG. 2, the process 1 and the process 2 constituting the image file 1 are processes related to the setting 1. The snapshot image includes an image file of an operation system (OS). In the MFP 1 system, the main storage memory is managed using virtual storage, and therefore, the OS image file includes address space mapping information.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the mapping information. The mapping information is a conversion table that is referred to in order to map the memory area in the virtual address space of each process to the memory area in the physical address space (main memory). In the example of FIG. 3, the virtual addresses 1 to 3 of the process 1 are mapped to the physical addresses 1 to 3 converted by the mapping information.

  The creation unit 22 creates a snapshot image of the main storage memory after the initial activation is completed. The snapshot image created at the first activation is stored in the hard disk 19.

  When a change in setting is received from the user while the MFP 1 is operating, the determination unit 23 determines whether the received change in setting needs to change the snapshot image. That is, the determination unit 23 determines whether or not the setting for which the change has been accepted is associated with the image file. When it is determined that the image file is associated with the image file, the creating unit 22 generates an image file in which the change is reflected for the image file associated with the setting for which the change is accepted.

  More specifically, the creation unit 22 identifies and deletes an image file associated with the setting for which the change has been accepted from among a plurality of image files stored in the hard disk 19. Then, in the state where the change is reflected and a process related to the setting for which the change is accepted is started, an image file of the process is newly created.

  When the setting is changed, the memory state of the process to be started also changes, so the mapping information also changes. Therefore, when creating a new image file, the creation unit 22 also creates a new image file including mapping information in which the change is reflected. That is, the creation unit 22 creates a new image file including mapping information together with the image file associated with the setting for which the change has been accepted. The newly created image file is stored in the hard disk 19. Thus, the snapshot image can be updated according to the setting change without newly creating the entire snapshot image.

  Subsequently, the operation of the MFP 1 will be described. With reference to FIG. 4, processing when a setting change is accepted will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing processing when a setting change by the MFP 1 is accepted.

  First, in step S101, when a setting change is accepted from the user, a determination process in step S102 is performed. In step S102, it is determined whether the snapshot image needs to be changed. That is, it is determined whether or not any of the image files constituting the snapshot image needs to be changed. If there is no need to change the image file, the changed settings are saved and the process ends.

  On the other hand, if the image file needs to be changed, the process proceeds to step S103. In step S103, an image file associated with the setting accepted in step S101 is newly created. That is, the image file is updated according to the change. The changed settings are also saved.

  Subsequently, in step S104, an image file including mapping information changed in accordance with the setting change is newly created. That is, the mapping information included in the snapshot image is updated according to the change. With the above processing, when a setting change is accepted, the snapshot image is updated without newly creating the entire snapshot image.

  According to the MFP 1 according to the present embodiment described above, a snapshot image including a plurality of image files respectively associated with a plurality of settings is stored. When a change in setting is accepted, the image file associated with the setting for which the change has been accepted is updated and stored. For this reason, it is possible not to create a new image file that is not associated with the changed setting. That is, the snapshot image can be updated according to the setting change without newly creating the entire snapshot image. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently create and store a snapshot image reflecting the setting change. As a result, the processing load can be reduced.

  Further, in the MFP 1, when a new image file is created, the image file including the mapping information changed with the setting change is updated. For this reason, when the activation is completed next time, it becomes possible to use the mapping information reflecting the change.

  In the present embodiment, the plurality of settings associated with the image file include, for example, an IP address acquisition setting, a display language setting, and a startup reception mode setting. When these settings are changed, an image file associated with the settings is newly created and stored. Therefore, it is possible to store a snapshot image in which a change in setting is reflected without newly creating the entire snapshot image. Further, when a change is accepted for a setting that does not require the snapshot image to be changed, the image file is not updated. Thus, since it is determined whether or not it is necessary to change, the processing load can be further reduced.

  Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above embodiment, the associated snapshot image is updated when a setting change is accepted, but the present invention is not limited to this. The snapshot image may be updated at the next startup. In this case, for example, when a setting change is accepted, the control unit 20 stores information indicating that the setting has been changed so that it can be referred to at the next startup. Then, at the time of activation, the activation unit 21 performs normal activation when information indicating that the setting has been changed is stored. Then, after the OS and application are activated, the creation unit 22 updates the above-described snapshot image as a series of activation processes. That is, the creation unit 22 newly creates an image file associated with the changed setting and an image file including mapping information as a series of activation processes.

  For example, the MFP has been described as an example of the electronic apparatus according to the invention, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention can be applied to other electronic devices such as a personal computer or a digital camera.

1 MFP
10 Printer 11 Scanner 12 FAX Control Unit 13 NCU
14 Modem 15 IFAX Control Unit 16 Network I / F
17 Operation unit 18 Display unit 19 Hard disk 20 Control unit 21 Start-up unit 22 Creation unit 23 Judgment unit

Claims (5)

A creation section for creating a memory snapshot image;
A storage unit for storing the snapshot image created by the creation unit;
An activation unit that activates the system using the snapshot image stored in the storage unit;
A reception unit that accepts multiple setting changes;
With
The creating unit
Creating the snapshot image including a plurality of image files associated with each of the plurality of settings;
When the change of the setting is received by the reception unit, a new image file reflecting the change of the setting is created for the image file associated with the setting for which the change has been received among the plurality of image files. An electronic device characterized by that. The creating unit
Creating the snapshot image including the image file having mapping information between a virtual address and a physical address;
The image file having the mapping information changed according to the change of the setting is newly created when the image file reflecting the change of the setting is newly created. The electronic device described. A communication unit that performs communication using an IP address is provided.
The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting associated with the image file is a setting as to whether or not an IP address of the own device is automatically acquired at the time of startup. A display unit for displaying information;
The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting associated with the image file is a setting of a language to be displayed on the display unit. It has an image processing unit that performs multiple types of image processing, functions as an image processing device,
The activation unit starts up a reception mode for accepting one set of image processing among the plurality of types of image processing at the time of activation,
5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting associated with the image file is a setting of a reception mode that starts up at startup.

Images